A Comparative Study between Compressible Brassiere and Conventional Pressure Dressing for Seroma Prevention after Mastectomy in Breast Cancer

Abstract

A Comparative Study between Compressible Brassiere and Conventional Pressure Dressing for Seroma Prevention after Mastectomy in Breast Cancer

Suphakan Techapongsatorn MD, FICS

Wisit Kasetsermviriya MD

Satit Srimantayamas MD

Vasin Chotivanich MD

Anan Manomaipiboon MD, MSc, FICS

Department of Surgery, BMA Medical College and Vajira Hospital

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness between compressible brassiere without axillary compression and conventional pressure dressing for seroma prevention after mastectomy in breast cancer.

Study design: Prospective, randomized controlled trial.

Subjects: A total of 56 female patients with breast cancer managed by modified radical mastectomy in BMA Medical College and Vajira Hospital during December 2004 to October 2005 were enrolled. They were divided into two groups. First, conventional dressing was applied in 29 patients as control group. Second, compressible brassiere without axillary compression was applied in 27 patients as study group.

Methods: All subjects were randomly assigned into two groups after surgical wound closing. Surgeons and the patients never knew the dressing techniques until finishing the operation. Patients' characteristics, clinical data, intra-operative data and outcomes were collected and analysed.

Main outcome measures: Occurrence of seroma, amount of drainage serum, length of hospital stay after operation and other post-operative wound complications.

Results: Patients' characteristics, clinical data and intra-operative data were not different significantly between two groups. Amount of drainage serum, length of hospital stay and occurrence of seroma in control group and study group were 725.0 ± 511.6 ml vs 774.3 ± 535.6, 9.3 ± 5.4 days vs 11.1 ± 4.9 days and 4/29 vs 6/27 patients (p-value > 0.05). These final outcomes were not different significantly too.

Conclusion: Pressure dressing with compressible brassiere without axillary compression after modified radical mastectomy in breast cancer could not reduce seroma, drainage serum and length of hospital stay.

Vajira Med J 2007 ; 51 : 87 - 94